Schoonmaker Point Beach
Outdoor · 85 Liberty Ship Way, Sausalito, CA 94965
Verified September 2026
A small, sheltered beach and put-in spot on Richardson Bay at 99 Liberty Ship Way, best known as the launch point for Sea Trek's kayak and paddleboard rentals. The water here is calm and protected, which makes it the easiest place near town to get on the bay without a boat of your own. Locals also call it Liberty Ship Beach or Kayak Beach, after the shipyard that once covered this ground.
What To Expect
Calm, sheltered water thanks to the marina breakwater, which makes it a good spot for a first-time kayak or paddleboard trip as well as for experienced paddlers. It's a working put-in with a strip of sand rather than a resort beach. Kids splash in the shallows while boats slide in and out beside them. Sea Trek also offers lessons and guided trips if you'd rather not go alone, and it asks renters to stay in Richardson Bay and not go past the restaurants in downtown Sausalito. Liberty Ship Way runs through the old shipyard grounds, which is why locals also call this Liberty Ship Beach. If you walk over from the Bay Model, the Marinship exhibit there explains what stood on this ground in the 1940s.
Getting There
A short drive north of downtown, inside the old Marinship shipyard grounds, near the Sea Trek dock and the Bay Model. The beach is on private marina land run by Schoonmaker Point Marina, but the public can use it for free. Parking is the catch: reports put the public spaces at about eight, and they tend to fill by midday, so come in the morning or bike over from downtown. Organized group activities need a reservation through Schoonmaker Point Marina.
Good To Know
Free and open to the public; rentals are through Sea Trek, docked right there. Sea Trek charges $42 an hour for a single kayak and $65 for a double, with a one-hour minimum. Walk-ins are welcome and reservations aren't required, but they get you on the water faster on busy weekends. You aren't charged until you're back on shore, and the bill is prorated in 15-minute steps after the first hour. Its hours change between summer and winter, so check before you drive out. See the Outfitters & Tours page for rates and hours.
Our Take
Book a morning slot. Parking is easier, and you'll have the bay mostly to yourself before the afternoon crowd arrives. Follow a paddle with a stop at the Bay Model next door, and you've turned a rental into a proper half-day.